If you or someone you know is still eating microwave popcorn, listen up! I can’t tell you how many countless times I used to eat microwave popcorn when I worked in an office. My co-workers would buy one of those packs from the vending machine in the break room and pop that sucker right into the microwave and the whole floor would smell DELICIOUS! I just couldn’t help myself. It was the one thing in the vending machine that always had to be refilled week after week – way before the stale peanuts.
I’m so glad I stopped that habit, when I finally gave up my use of microwaves, because let me tell you, this stuff is horrible for your health and here’s why…
The Bag
The bag almost all microwave popcorn varieties come in is lined with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). This chemical is the same toxic stuff found in teflon pots and pans. It can stay in the environment and in the human body for long periods of time. This chemical when heated has been linked to infertility, cancer and other diseases in lab animals. No long term studies have been conducted on humans, but the EPA lists this substance as a carcinogen.
The Contents
Here’s a snapshot of several popular popcorn brands and the ingredients they contain.
Even though there are no sources of genetically modified popcorn kernels being produced (that’s saved for other varieties of corn), there are several other GMO ingredients in the form of oil or emulsifiers to be found in these popcorn flavors. GMOs have never been tested long term on human beings and are linked to a slew of health issues that are rising in this country. All of these brands do not use organic corn either, so you can be sure they contain harmful pesticides.
Brands like PopSecret and Jolly Time still use trans fat, which is considered one of the most deadly fats available because it is associated with 20,000 heart attacks a year and over 7,000 deaths according to the CDC.
Proply Gallate that is found in PopSecret is one of those ingredients that’s being phased out in the rest of the world, but still being used here for a preservative in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It’s linked to all sorts of health issues like skin rashes, stomach issues and breathing problems.
TBHQ that is found in Smart Balance, stands for “Tertiary Butylhydroquinone.” It’s a dead giveaway that you shouldn’t be eating this, if food companies have to use an acronym for a long chemical name on the ingredient label.
TBHQ is a chemical made from butane (a very toxic gas) and can only be used at a rate of 0.02 percent of the total oil in a product. Why is there a limit to this? Maybe because eating only 1 gram of this toxic preservative has been shown to cause all sorts of issues, from ADHD in children, to asthma, allergies and dermatitis to dizziness and even has caused stomach cancer in laboratory animals.
Limiting TBHQ to a certain percentage, is the same logic the FDA made when allowing a product to still contain 0.5 grams of transfat and be labeled “transfat free.” If you are consuming processed foods, eating at fast food restaurants or chains that use processed foods you are consuming an overload of preservatives and other chemicals. The accumulation of eating all these different preservatives and man-made chemicals at once has not been studied by the food companies or the FDA for safety.
The Hidden Ingredients
Even though natural flavors and artificial flavors are listed on the ingredient label of microwave popcorn, we have no way of knowing what’s actually in these ingredients. Food manufacturers won’t tell you and they hide things in there like MSG, beaver’s anal glands and diacetyl butter flavoring. What’s so wrong with a little bit of artificial butter flavoring? Well a lot. This stuff is seriously toxic, which forced Conagra Foods to remove it from their Act branded Microwave popcorn recently because it causes lung issues in workers. This ingredient is also linked to brain issues which cause Alzheimer’s Disease too. Dr. Mercola reports:
“Researchers conducting test-tube studies revealed that diacetyl has several concerning properties for brain health. Not only can it pass through the blood-brain barrier, which is intended to help keep toxins out of your brain, but it can also cause brain proteins to misfold into the Alzheimer’s-linked form known as beta amyloid. It also inhibits mechanisms that help to naturally clear the dangerous beta amyloid from your brain.1
It’s not known at this time whether eating diacetyl-containing foods (it’s used not only in microwave popcorn but also in other snack foods, baked goods, pet foods, some fast foods and other food products) increases your risk of Alzheimer’s, but the finding that it may contribute to brain plaques linked to Alzheimer’s at very low concentrations is concerning, to say the least.“
Orville Redenbacher’s label explicitly says they do not use this flavoring anymore, but there are popcorn varieties that still do, so watch out, if you see the words “artificial flavor” on the label of any processed food, back up far away!
Make Your Own (It Takes 5 mins!)
Making your own popcorn from scratch is so EASY and you can avoid all of these health pitfalls. If you need to take some to the office or where ever you are going (like sneaking it into the movie theatre), I recommend making it in advance and throwing it in a reusable bag.
This recipe takes 5 mins. The extra 2 minutes (over microwave popcorn) is time definitely worth committing to.
I call this recipe “Superfood Popcorn” because it contains three amazing ingredients:
- Coconut oil that is great for your metabolism
- Hemp seeds that are full of omega 3 fatty acids
- Red palm oil that contains the highest amounts of vitamins A and E of any plant-based oil
I have to say, the red palm oil took this popcorn from about an 9 to an 11 on a scale from 1 to 10. It looks and tastes like yummy comforting butter (and the color matches that movie theatre popcorn without all the added chemical ingredients). Also, the added texture of the hemp seeds combined with sea salt is so good and crunchy.
I made a bowl of this last week and it was heavenly! It’s seriously amazing – I can’t wait to hear your reports.
Please note red palm oil is different from palm kernel oil (that is grown in SouthEast Asia and killing orangutans). Red palm oil comes from Ecuador and harvested sustainably. Dr. Oz does a great job of explaining the difference between red palm fruit oil and palm kernel oil here if you’d like to learn more.
- ¼ cup dry popcorn kernels
- 1 and ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- 2 tsp red palm oil
- 1 tbsp hempseed ground
- ¼ tsp celtic sea salt
- In a pot, stir together coconut oil and popcorn kernels and heat pot on stove to high
- Cover pot with lid and let popcorn pop until you hear less popping per second
- Once popcorn is done popping, remove from pot into a bowl
- Using a blender or food processor, blend hempseed and salt until fine
- Top popcorn with melted red palm oil and hempseed salt mixture
And by the way, it’s pretty amazing the CEO of Nutiva John Roulac, would say outright in a news interview that the end goal for his company is to see “Monsanto go bankrupt” – I love voting with my dollars to support him and his company.
If you know someone who is still consuming microwave popcorn, please do your part and share this post with them – especially if they are your co-workers 🙂 Together we are changing the way our families and friends eat and I love that!
Hooray to healthy popcorn!
Food babe
P.S. Check out this hilarious interview I did on CNN last weekend about trans fats, popcorn and Funyuns. Being on the Don Lemon Show with Alexa Towersey was so fun! Don was a riot. When you watch it, you’ll see what I mean.
Thank you for mentioning SE Asian palm oil. I was alerted to the problem of Palm oil while living in Singapore. Earlier this year, we had about a week of air pollution when a noxious haze from Indonesia engulfed the country. These companies create giant super sized corporate farms because of high demand, and at the end of the season use slash and burn to clear it. Ironically, many of the corporations who own and operate these farms are from developed, more regulated countries like Singapore. They move across the border to underdeveloped places like Indonesia, where regulations either do not exist, or where law enforcement is paid to look the other way.
Now that I’m back in the US, I’ll investigate the red palm oil you mentioned.
I want you to know that the author is downright LYING on most of her claims. Many of the ingredients listed are found naturally in the environment (citric acid, soybean oil, soy lecthin, MSG–which makes up almost 1/23 of your dry muscle mass) in natural foods. Her claims about the harms of GMOs are unfounded in the scientific community.
Especially damaging is the claim that butane has been shown to “cause ADHD in children”. This form of misinformation is toxic (literally) to the author’s community of followers.
Really, the only “scientifically proven” statements you make are: PFOA has been linked to respiratory problems in some people, trans fats can cause heart disease in some people, and that butane and every other compound listed are toxic in specific dosages.
Ben – I’m just curious if you work for Monsanto by the way you use that worn out phrase “claims about the harms of GMOs are unfounded in the scientific community” You’re here on foodbabe.com thumping your chest saying “scientifically proven”. If you’re so high and mighty in the scientific community, then why don’t you get your own website and back up your articles with ‘scientific proof’?
Yes. Because everyone who doesn’t agree with your impression that all mass marketed food is inherently bad must work for Monsanto.
Christ. The average lifespan has gone UP in recent decades (dropping slightly because of the obesity epidemic).
Easy there Karl, I disagree with Ben’s accusing Foodbabe of “lying” but, she is mistaken on a few things she mentions.
Although I despise Monsanto, and their campaign of monopolizing the world’s seed supplies, and what they’ve done in their GMO’s,
Foodbabes claims about GMO’s like most peoples are not based on science.
People freak out at the mere mention that science has the ability to manipulate plant genes now, when in reality, genes are constantly manipulated by everything in the environment. Using GMO’s to develop a more disease, or pest resistant “organic” crop makes perfect sense, providing enough research is done. Monsanto using GMO’s to better resist it’s toxic chemicals, is a different matter entirely.
I’m hate to be the bad guy and tell you this…but a lot of these claims are worded deceptively. M-popcorn is bad for you…but her play on words are manipulative and some of it’s flat out made up.
Really though, believe me when I tell you. I’ve wrote several articles in the past against M-popcorn and this person is lying to you. She’s stretching the true facts and misconstruing the real studies, facts and like I said…a few things are totally made up.
I’d list my credentials but I really don’t care and I’ve been up for 20 hours. I’m going to bed. I wouldn’t eat the stuff more than once a year…but I’d be happy to see it gone forever.
Goodnight everyone.
I had an allergic reaction to microwave popcorn Act II and was hospitalized, I won’t go near that crap again.
Some people have allergic reactions to peanuts and shellfish. That doesn’t mean that there’s anything inherently bad with those things.
Why are you so angry? The claim that people like FoodBabe are harming people in some way by their sometimes (or even often) unsubstantiated claims is bizarre. What harm is FoodBabe doing? Encouraging people to think about what they are eating? Even if she’s wrong about GMOs, microwaves, etc, how on earth is people adding more whole food, real food, to their lives harmful? How is it possibly harmful for people to start cooking on their stoves instead of a microwave? Drinking green smoothies? Avoiding fast food? Using dollars to convince companies to stop putting potentially (or actually) harmful things in food? Convincing people to avoid artificial ingredients? Taking a stand in favor of labeling GMOs? How does any of this harm ANYONE? You may be right that her claims are bogus – but she is not harming anyone – so WHY DO YOU CARE?
AGREED SAMANTHA!
Making bogus claims discredits FoodBabe and the entire movement behind it, regardless of how well intentioned they may be. Of course all those things you mention are good but it would certainly help your cause if you based your arguments on facts. Ben is actually doing you a favor.
Benjamin, enjoy your main course of cancer. Perhaps you would like a side of some other ailment such as HyperThyroidism?
Please tell us why Kraft finally responded to the food dye concerns that Food Babe raised all throughout 2013? Do you not recall that they have chose to discontinue the use of artificial dyes in three of their kid-friendly macaroni and cheese meals? Why would they do such a thing? They will now use Turmeric as one of the constituent ingredients in achieving the desired yellowing of these pasta noodles. Hmm….
I greatly enjoyed your remarks, Ben.
http://chge.med.harvard.edu/topic/genetically-modified-foods
This should help put an end to the oft repeated claim that the consensus of the scientific community is that gmo’s are beneficial.
I was hospitalized with a severe allergic reaction from microwave popcorn and had an earlier bought of severe cough while eating this crap.
Check with google there was a court case against the maker of microwave popcorn, the workers suffered lung problems.
THIS STUFF IS TOXIC.
The lung problems they had were from ingesting the dust from processing the dry corn, and not being required to wear safety equipment, specifically the company did not provide respirator masks for the workers in that environment.
NOT because they ATE microwave popcorn…
Bt toxins decimate gut flora. This isn’t my opinion, so much as very easy information to find should you want to go looking for it. Your gut flora produce up to 95% of the serotonin in your body (according to the American Psychology Association) and 3/4 of your immune system. So the 100x the old amount of Bt toxin *just might* have adverse affects on your mental and physical health.
I’m with Karl, when someone gives you the standard, “isn’t scientifically proven”, you can bet your bottom dollar they are a paid shill. Not only has this been scientifically proven, as if GMO opponents are incapable of paying for their own studies, but there are DOZENS of studies available! The website I used when posting will start you off in the right place.
People are so naive to think corporations don’t employ shills to come onto sites which allow comments and give their paid “opinions.” Don’t be taken people. You’ve been told what to think long enough by our corporations and it’s high time you start to think for yourselves.
Wow, I’m surprised to find someone who can actually think critically and be reasonable on this website.
In contrast, this author of this article, like many, is horribly misinformed, and appears to lack any real journalistic skills. Welcome to the internet!
TBHQ in Children
There has been some anecdotal evidence that TBHQ can cause anxiety, restlessness, and aggravation of ADHD symptoms, although there have been no clinical studies that show any link between food additives and behavioral disorders in children.
Read more: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5594973_tbhq-side-effects.html#ixzz2woPM1UeJ
I know what you’ve said about microwaves but have you heard of putting 1/4 cup of non-GMO corn in a brown paper bag, folding twice, cooking for 1 m 50 sec & it’s done? It’s so good. We add our other goodies afterward. Although I love the stove the best sometimes we’ve resorted to this method. What’s your opinion?
Be careful that the bag doesn’t touch the sides of the microwave! My sons set ours on fire that way. I have a seen a microwave popcorn container for sale that I’m sure you could search out that probably won’t burn your house down!
The USDA doesn’t recommend cooking in brown paper bags. Here’s what they say: “Do not use brown paper bags from grocery or other stores for cooking. They are not sanitary, may cause a fire, and can emit toxic fumes. Intense heat may cause a bag to ignite, causing a fire in the oven. The ink, glue, and recycled materials in paper bags can emit toxic fumes when they are exposed to heat. Instead, use purchased oven cooking bags.”
Microwaves KILL!!!!
Sat away from microwave ovens!!!!
people die… get over it. No matter how healthy you eat you won’t live forever 😀 maybe you die sooner than those people who use microwave ovens 😀
O.K. I take back the exclamation points! (00ps, missed that one)
Geza (sorry, I have a standard English keyboard, and can’t put the accent there where it belongs-forgive me)
Yes, you are right, people do die, and I may very well be the first to here, but is that really the point?
This (Foodbabe’s) column is about alternative ways of “living”, where reverence for what nature provides us, and how we treat ourselves, is re-looked at.
We evolved as a species as a part of nature. Modern gadgetry such as microwave ovens alters food at a molecular level, in ways that aren’t fully understood yet.
We have for too long trusted the “corporate” approach to our food. We have allowed ourselves to be swept up in a “consumers” maelstrom, by whatever is being sold on mass media. With a little fore thought , it usually takes about the same amount of time to make a batch of popcorn on the stove, as in a micro-wave, and you can add more healthy ingredients as you’d prefer, then a microwave oven isn’t really needed. Peace!
“Modern gadgetry such as microwave ovens alters food at a molecular level, in ways that aren’t fully understood yet.”
Have you taken freshman college Physics? Do you understand what Alpha, Beta and Gamma radiation are? We understand exactly what is happening in a microwave and have for a very long time and if you think it is anything more than increasing the rate at which H20 molecules create friction than you are sorely scientifically illiterate and your anecdotes are not welcome in a discussion rooted in logic applicable to everyone.
So how do you explain the “watering the plants” experiments that so many people have done. (two plants, treated exactly the same, except one is fed with microwaved water. And that one dies…) I think there are some things people aren’t understanding yet. Maybe in freshman college physics you tried this experiment?
I’ve not read all of the comments but has anyone mentioned organic corn popped in a hot-air, electric popcorn maker? No oil needed and add whatever flavorings you like. Fewer calories if no oil involved……and no ‘burnt oil’ smell in the kitchen.
no taste!!!!!
Hi, I pop my popcorn in an air popper. For a snack, I pop about a 1/4 cup of kernels and I melt about a teaspoon of real butter in the container on the top of the popper and I add salt. It is quite good. Have done this for 20 or 25 years. Buying quality kernels is key. Name brands are better than store brands in my opinion.
Hey, whatever works for you.
I dare say your method is leaps and bounds better than those toxic, pre-pckd, microwaveable, stomach- bombs that the Foodbabe is talking about.
I used to have an air-popper. It was made out of plastic, with an aluminum coated (and who knows what else) interior, with an aluminum melt tray.
I gave it up when I found out that aluminum-it gives off toxic fumes when heated, and the plastics do as well.
The main advantage, as I see it in using an air popper, is you can avoid having to use oil, but if you’re melting butter to put on it, then you’d lose that advantage, wouldn’t you? As for the kernels, I disagree about going with “name brands” unless of course it’s an organic name brand.
I do not allow anyone to pop microwave popcorn in my home unless it’s the 365 brand from Whole Foods. The mainstream brands in the grocery store cause me to have breathing problems. (I am sensitive to fragrance and chemicals.) Researching this problem on the internet I found that workers in plants that manufacture microwave popcorn have been dying from black lung or popcorn lung due to the diacetyl in the buttery flavoring which does not have to be listed in the ingredients because the FDA lists this chemical as ‘generally recognized as safe’. I shutter to think of all the homes where this is a common snack, particularly homes with growing children.
BEN (Nov 19th),
You’re an idiot! Keep your BS to yourself before other folks end up like you!
I saw you on San Diego TV today. I really enjoyed listening to what you had to say about our food and what’s been in it all these years. It is really hard to change, with all the junk out there.
George Rangel
San Diego
I love making organic popcorn with coconut oil. To give it the yellow color I add turmeric. I pinch of Himalayan pink salt and the perfect snack is ready!!
Sorry if someone has mentioned this already, but I just bought a big bag of the Boom Chicka Pop popcorn. It tastes so good! Please tell me it’s not bad!
OMG!!! I ordered the popcorn special from Nutiva as suggested by Food Babe and BOY am I glad I did! I made the popcorn recipe AND IT’S AWESOME!!!!
Thanks Food Babe, I’ll be making this from now on and I just LOVE the Red Palm Oil!
Yeah! So happy you loved it 🙂
Can you make ahead the hemp and salt popcorn topping and jar it or put in a shaker for later use??
I love the idea of trying to eat healthier. I don’t like it when people misrepresent scientific research (even for a good cause). No one has “proven” that eating something causes ADHD. The statistical analysis used to link a behavior (like eating some food) to a disorder (like ADHD) simply points to correlation. No study’s author would claim CAUSATION (at least if the author hoped to have it published by a reputable scientific journal). Such research only suggests a link.
It is probably wise to avoid any food that has been linked to ADHD. Food Babe would have been right to suggest that you avoid it for that reason, but she is wrong to claim that a study has proven that eating a food causes the disorder.
Thank you for the wonderful popcorn recipe…..fat free microwave popcorn is one of my favorites I have had to give up because of all the negative health implications recently…and thanks for the link to get the red palm oil and etc Nutiva products online.
Just ordered and can’t wait to make me some healthy yummy popcorn.
Are air popper ok?
If you don’t believe something that Babe saids, then just go and do your own DAMN research.
Really? So pray tell if it so happened she states that pigs outside her house just ran down the road and just flew into the sky! You’re suggesting to myself I should believe her? Well now ya see way I sees it if’n I’m not in agreeable terms with her there statement I reckon I’d be right in challenging said statement and in this case ADHD (nowhere has it been documented that there is a guaranteed cause to this neurological disability) otherwise I might as well just sit down listen nod my head and when she’s done well I reckon I’ll just go sit there in the kitchen waiting for my lap dog treats, now don’t y’all think I’m hating on this “foodbabe” oh no i quite like the ideal, the wish but come now darlin let’s stick to facts.
Vani, I made this popcorn at Thanksgiving and it was an absolute hit! Kids loved it and got a kick out of watching it be popped on the range and the fact that it was way healthier than movie theater popcorn.
Vani, you are crazy. As the old apple commercials would say “the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world – are the ones who DO”…..
I have been following you on FB since May and I have lost twenty pounds and I attribute it to some of the tips you have provided. You are doing great things!
I love microwave popcorn and I eat it all the time, this article got me curious as to what was actually in the popcorn I’ve been eating for years (Orville Redenbacher’s Naturals Simply Salted) and the ingredients are as follows: Whole Grain Popping Corn, Palm Oil, Salt, and Mixed Tocopherols for freshness (which sounded strange to me at first but it turns out is just vitamin E).
As far as I can see, there’s nothing nightmarish about it at all. In fact, as far as snacks of this nature go I’d say it’s pretty harmless. I’ve never eaten that artificial butter flavored mess, because that’s exactly what it tastes like, artificial and full of chemicals. Perhaps a better title for this article would have been “Why Microwave Popcorn With Artificial Flavoring Is An Absolute Health Nightmare”.
What do you think of “natural” popcorn bags that you can pop in the microwave?
Vani, thank you SO much for this recipe! I just ordered some red palm oil from Nutiva so I can try it out.
I have what may be a ridiculously silly question. Do you know if eating hemp seeds could cause a positive result on a drug test? I have avoided hemp for the longest time as I’ve been unsure of the answer, but I hate missing out on a super food!
I might try pepitas in this recipe until I can find out. 🙂
Thanks!
Any hemp seed sold in US had to be THC free. I have it in my oatmeal every morning, salads, etc so enjoy that complete protein!
This recipe sounds awesome and I’ve long suspected microwave popcorn is not as good as it appears….
BUT I heard some startling information about how Palm Oil plantations are not only quickly deforesting Indonesia and Malaysia but also causing SERIOUS bodily harm to one of their natives – orangutans!
Please look here for more information on how to keep our primate friends safe http://www.orangutan.org.au/palm-oil
I am in love with Quinn popcorn!! What say you about their microwave popcorn?
Microwaves kill!!!!!
Oh, for Pete’s sake, settle down with the exclamation points. I was asking FB about her opinion on QP since her post was mostly addressing the ingredients and packaging of microwave popcorn. No one needs your random outbursts about microwaves.
I have made my own popcorn for years, as it’s what my mom mostly did and what she taught me. That said, in a pinch, Quinn Popcorn is really yummy, and it’s probably the only safe microwave popcorn out there: http://www.quinnpopcorn.com
There’s a big price to pay for the convenience of many foods. It’s a lot cheaper to buy big bags of popcorn and use an air popper! My GF makes it on the stove all the time in a pot too. I have not purchased microwave popcorn in years. Anxious to try this recipe.
None of these things are killing Americans, there is not scientific evidence.
Overeating is killing Americans.
Learn self discipline.
Limit caloric intake.
No scientific evidence, well, do you REALLY think that Monsanto, with billions of dollars at stake, would actually conduct real science based experiments on their “goose that lays the golden eggs?” Oh, and further, how many medications have been withdraw because of serious side effects?. They all were rolled out with the promise of the new wonder drug, there was no scientific eveidence of those side effects, until they started being used under real world conditions. The clinical trials they run are basically worthless, especially for lifetime drugs. It’s pretty well impossible to run any kind of study that shows how they react in real world, long term usage conditions. Just because of that, we shouln’t give any company, especially Monsanto, a blank check to cranck out all the toxins they want, just so they can become obscenely rich, and laugh at us while they pump out their poisons.
Scaremongering, untruths, and you did not disclose you get a cut of every sale you send to Nutiva through that link at the end. I expanded the bitly link (which I assume you used to hide this fact) and saw the actual affiliate link is http://store.nutiva.com/aff/A9B6BB4B7E4890013FE7940131051600/index.html?subid=1234. Actively trying to hide that conflict of interest seriously undermines your credibility.
I would be the last person to suggest that microwave popcorn is a healthy way to eat popcorn. It’s probably the least healthy, and it’s certainly the most expensive. But this article makes utterly unsubstantiated claims (ADHD? link to the study, please), then tells readers they should use coconut oil (for which you are paid), without mentioning that coconut oil has BY FAR the most saturated fat of any oil. You could literally cook your popcorn in bacon and sausage drippings and it would be better for your heart.
But I will admit that, lack of integrity aside, your recipe looks tasty.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/09/13/coconut-oil-part-three.aspx
There are alot of benefits to coconut oil ..
Oh, well a link to Mercola, then it MUST be true! *stifled laugh*
John (Nov 21)
I don’t understand why Ben’s BS is not allowed when clearly there are lots of others expressing their opinions…….which could be construed as BS…….Seems rather harsh.
Have a wonderful day.
No comment about the content of the article, but one comment about the pictures: I see you popped your popcorn with a glass-lidded pot. You should pop your popcorn in a vented pot, as the steam buildup inside the pot will make your popcorn chewy and tough. Those pasta pots with holes in the lid to drain water are just about perfect (non-PTFE, of course), since the lid “locks” in place to allow the pan to be shaken or swirled, and the holes let the steam escape, preventing chewy popcorn.
Okay, another comment: the best oil for popping popcorn is of course ghee, but if you want to be healthy, then avocado oil.
I’m not going to get hung up in all the bickering here. My personal choice is to eat as close to nature as possible. Popcorn is one of the simplest things to make and it is actually funny that people have needed to make it “simpler” by microwaving. It is crazy! My young brother-in-law once said to me, “you don’t have a microwave? How do you eat popcorn?”. Come on people!
Anyhow, what I wanted to say is that we like to season our popcorn with Extra Virgin Olive Oil that we spray from a Misto brand sprayer. It applies a nice, even coating on the kernels and really makes for a delicious and healthy snack.
What if the popcorn is organic? I know the microwave is still harmful but if you eat foods to get rid of the free radicals?
Woke up at 3am with rash and swelling around mouth. I ate microwaved popcorn before bed. This happened first to weeks ago. I look back and I ate microwaved popcorn then, too. Doc gave my cream. But it happened again today. So sore red swollen. I ate out of the bag too guess all those hemicals got on my hand then lips etc. never again. It looks so bad
Corn is fed to cows to fatten them up faster.
Think about that…
http://blogs.prevention.com/inspired-bites/2012/07/10/corned-beef-what-corn-eating-cows-are-doing-to-our-health/
Well eating the microwave popcorn whilst reading this! Stopped read when she claim the medical part! Cause making out its was worse as cigarette s! If this was true it have health warning on bags too! Plus its lovely! BTW if anything she scientific claims can hapen without eat popcorn! But that’s the risk we all the run for it anyway!
I love this recipe! Tried it tonight and it was delicious! What kind of coconut oil do you use? Unrefined virgin or refined? I read something about cooking coconut oil at high temperatures releasing free radicals… Is that something I should consider? Would avocado or grapeseed oil be a good substitute? TIA
You can click on the word coconut oil in the recipe (that’s blue and underlined) and it takes you to the website for the Nutiva coconut oil Vani uses!
But here is the link:
https://store.nutiva.com/coconut-oil/
http://www.Puritan.com also has any ingredients/herbs described in the recipe. just saying…
Wow! Interesting reads and comments. I have start taking control of what’s going into my body to the best of my ability and what I can afford. I buy mostly organic, but I’m no fanatic! If I can’t find organic options or it’s too expensive I go for next best.
I also gave the microwave a second thought after reading about the ‘plant & water experiment’, but again, I’m no fanatic! I cook on the stove as much as time permits, but use the micro for small jobs and short heatings. I tried this popcorn recipe and it was good. A tad to fat and greasy for my taste, but still ok. After this jar of Red palm oil I won’t be buying it again. I will continue with butter, but not any butter…it has to be Organic, European style butter (higher fat content) made from pastured cows (grass fed and roamed in the sun). Expensive, yes, but oh so good! A little goes a long way! I agree with a previous poster about moderation and portion control is the key. Likewise the importance of common sense. If ONE company has monopoly on most seeds something is clearly wrong.
I have to say, I have always been a bit of a food snob when it comes to cooking from scratch or out of a box. I have been following the FoodBabe on FB for awhile now. And I got to say after turning our kitchen into a “clean” kitchen, when I do try the old un clean stuff it tastes horrible. I use to be a huge chocolate fanatic, total sweet tooth. I tried a little chocolate wrapped santa and it was awful. I will now and forever only have a “clean” kitchen. I just wanted to say thank you, it is possible my only daughter may live a longer healthier life because of this. There is some reason why most young girls are growing up a lot younger now, if its not food then what?
So thank you FoodBabe for everything you do.
Dani
More likely the increase in early pubescence is due to excess weight and therefore excess fatty tissue. Very lean girls and women, such as athletes, can actually stop menstruating during training. Mother Nature wants women to have a certain amount of fat before they start preparing for pregnancy, in case of food shortages during the pregnancy and after birth while breastfeeding.
That doesn’t mean there can’t be additional reasons, but I would help girls to maintain a proper weight by reasonable food intake (and good food, which will probably keep the natural weight management system working well with no effort) and exercise before worrying too much about the rest. Cutting down on junk and pesticide ingestion can’t hurt, though. There is no minimum daily requirement for pesticides or tootsie rolls.
Individuals vary in their sensitivity to pesticides. I’m very sensitive to the conventional ones myself and get rather foggy while spraying is being done in my vicinity. I used encapsulated anti-flea spray for the house before topicals like Frontline thankfully became available for the cats. Nothing really worked well until Frontline, I tried every nonconventional method as well. The vet said encapsulated versions were such slow release that they were much safer, basically she said the flea had to make contact before they were activated. But she really liked Frontline because the active ingredient attacks part of the flea’s system that have no counterpart in mammals.
I liked the article until you made it an issue of trying to put Monsanto out of business. If you really think that that is going to happen then I suggest you think again. I do the follow…. I buy the Monsanto stock make lots of money on the stock. In the meantime I don’t eat popcorn at all…LOL
Considering what scum Monsanto is, I’d cheer if those criminals went bankrupt. If you can feel better about yourself, just because you make money off their immoral practices, well, I gues that just shows where your ethics are.
Well, I hate Monsanto with a passion. And I will make a lot of money off their stock, too. But by buying PUT OPTIONS on the stock when it drops. Put options make a profit when the underlying stock falls. I will never do a bullish trade on Monsanto — only bearish ones.
when you eat this food starting out young and for years and years when you reach the age of 40 to 50 you will have heart disease or diabetes , stroke, cancers and other complicated diseases only because you were not told they were bad for you or you didn’t listen or research for yourself when you were young and now you will be sick as **h *h This is for you young people so that you will die of old age instead of all these medical complications where you can enjoy your older years of 70,80,90,100,105, years old .
Thank You for this good information Babe food
In the End…. we just dont want our food altered. We NEED repetitive talk about natural health. Not enough is learned in school. But I tell you growing up without money kept my parents from taking us out to eat all the time. We had meals at the table. Pot roast potatoes carrots. This was the 70’s Now our food is laced with peaticides weather it be inside or out. It is damaging us. Everything in America is done out of GREED. Agribusiness etc. Yes ou population is high so lets teach “Give a man a fish he will eat for a day…teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime” FoodBabe is doing just that..
This is rabble-rousing. And no one has come close to convincing me about the “horrors: of genetically modified foods. Talk about a First World Problem.
Frank, YOU need to do a little research. I think your head is in the sand. Just because you don’t know something does not mean it does not exist! Educate yourself!
Hi! I bought red palm oil once and people were running their mouth when they saw it, I ended up throwing it out cuz I didn’t have time to research it the time. I haven’t bought it since. Is there a debunked myth about it? I can’t remember what they said about it lol
See the Nutiva site. You need to check out the actual source of the palm oil, that’s all. Nutiva is safe.
There are good sources of palm oil and bad sources. Not all sources hurt orangutans or even have them in the vicinity, and not all sources are contributing to deforestation of habitats in general. But you need to pay attention to the company selling it, just as with any food.
So… What about movie popcorn? (I guess he artificial butter is he problem there) And what about using real butter if you pop your own? And… how about the huge Non GMO popcorn bags one can buy at Costco?
Is there a reason for the hemp? Just an added health benefit?
no one is eating beavers butt either…the link to that story is just dumb!!
http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/castoreum.asp
I started popping corn in a brown lunch bag in the microwave. 1/4 cup , 2 min. on high. Popped corn , no oil, no, salt and it’s cheaper. How does this rate on the scale of good health?
Just a note: red palm oil (or just palm oil) and PKO or Palm Kernel Oil, come from the same plant. One oil comes from the fruit, the other from the nut or kernel. They are not defined by origin, e.g., PKO can also be from Malaysia, Indonesia,etc., just as PO (palm oil) can come from Colombia.
IN terms of sustainability, the country is less important than the certification. Many companies buy sustainable Palm and Palm Kernel Oil and green certificated oil is available from most producing countries. Encourage the use of green oil.
See: http://www.rspo.org/
I should be dead I have been eating it as long as there has been that product,and I’m almost 72 I ain’t quitting now.
Hi Food Babe
What do you think of the movie theatre popcorn? It is not microwaved.
I appreciate all you do, as we all join together to buy with your dollars that supports health rather than early death.
Sharon
I just bought 2 boxes of m-popcorn and I can’t wait to eat it. Yum!!
Question: I make popcorn in microwave using a plasitic bowl meant to pop the corn. Than I use Pam Butter Spray & salt. I was wondering if you have any info if the butter sprays are bad. I LOVE coconut oil…use it on many things…I have been thinking maybe melt a little and pour over popcorn. I have also used Braggs Amino…that is ok. Thanks!!!
Ben,
I bet you put your faith in the FDA as well. Notwithstanding all the class action law suits filed after the drug has killed and injured yet were approved by the good old FDA. Think about it please.
Hey Food Babe!
Just wondering if an air popper would do the same job? I always end up burning mine in the pot (the three times i’ve tried), or does it use a unhealthy way of popping…. I always thought it was just hot air. 🙂
The hemp seeds sound like a good idea, can’t wait to try that though!